Star of the valley WEEKEND | 19 MAY 1, 2015 VOLUME 23, NO. 14
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El Camino bus plan faces backlash COUNCILMAN EXPLAINS SHIFTING VIEWS SINCE ELECTION By Mark Noack
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MICHELLE LE
GETTING INTO THE SWING OF SPRING Trianna reaches for a hula hoop during the games and festivities following Mountain View’s annual Spring Family Parade on Saturday, April 25. More photos from the parade are on page 15.
South Bay Nepalese rush to provide earthquake relief FAMILIES CONCERNED DEATH TOLL COULD RISE IF NEEDED AID DOESN’T ARRIVE SOON By Mark Noack
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small cluster of Nepalese expatriates living in the South Bay are racing to raise funds and coordinate relief efforts to aid their distant families and countrymen impacted by a devastating earthquake on Saturday. As many as 5,000 people were reportedly killed and nearly 10,000 injured as a result of a
INSIDE
7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday, April 25. Within minutes of the disaster, Sunnyvale resident Pratik Pande began hearing dispatches from his home country 7,500 miles away. It was about 11 p.m. and his family began shouting for him to come see a cascade of urgent messages from relatives and friends in Kathmandu See EARTHQUAKE page 13
uesday’s meeting on Mountain View’s annual budget was overshadowed by a crowd of public speakers wanting to talk about the council’s controversial move last week to support creating dedicated bus lanes on El Camino Real. In the days since the decision, a groundswell of irate Mountain View residents have blasted council members for backing the bus plan. Meanwhile, city leaders have struggled to explain why they believe streamlined bus service, at the expense of two lanes on the six-lane road, was ultimately in the city’s best interest. The decision last week to endorse the Bus Rapid Transit plan came as a surprise for many in Mountain View. Expectations were for elected leaders to come out against the plan, as they
had on multiple past occasions when the Valley Transportation Authority brought it forward for the city to review. At a cost of $233 million, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proposal would enhance bus service by providing an express route running from Palo Alto down to San Jose. The plan by the Valley Transportation Authority calls for two lanes of El Camino Real — one in each direction — to be closed off to all motorists except public buses. For the first time last week, VTA officials indicated the exclusive lanes could also be considered for emergency vehicles and possibly private company shuttles. But many say they saw little reason to think last week’s review by the Mountain View City Council would go differently. The three new council members See EL CAMINO, page 7
MVHS narrows achievement gap SCHOOL RECOGNIZED BY COUNTY FOR BOOSTING MINORITY ENROLLMENT IN AP CLASSES By Kevin Forestieri
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hree years ago, staff at Mountain View High School set out to increase the number of Latino and other underrepresented minority students in Advanced Placement (AP) and honors classes. The idea was that plenty of minority students are capable of taking the rigorous courses that look great on a college application, but they just needed that extra level of encouragement from teachers and counselors. Three years later, the school
VIEWPOINT 17 | GOINGS ON 23 | MARKETPLACE 28 | REAL ESTATE 30
is now calling it a success. The Santa Clara County Office of Education recently announced that Mountain View High School now ranks in the top percentile of schools in the nation for fully reflecting the school’s student diversity in its AP and honors class enrollment, making it one of only four schools in the county to pull it off. “It’s one of the most incredible accomplishments I’ve seen in 37 years of my career,” said Superintendent Barry Groves, noting that the school has doubled AP enrollment among underrepre-
sented minorities in just one year. Between the last school year and this year, Latino students enrolled in AP courses at the high school grew from 81 students to 132 students. An additional 129 underrepresented students took AP courses for the first time this school year, according to Associate Superintendent Brigitte Sarraf. Starting in the 2013-14 school year, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District signed a contract with Equal Opportunity Schools, a See LATINO STUDENTS, page 12
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Is it worth giving up El Camino traffic lanes so buses can travel faster? “Yeah, I think so. I feel like public transportation needs to be more important in the community so people can take an element of that into their daily commute.�
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Police arrested a Mountain View man Sunday after he was spotted by a neighbor entering the backyard of a home in the Rex Manor neighborhood, and was later caught inside the residence allegedly taking a credit card, scissors and peanut butter. The man was seen entering the backyard of the house in the 1300 block of Ormonde Drive just after 6:30 p.m. Officers arrived and checked the home to find the suspect, identified as 34-yearold Cyrus Manalo, inside as he was about to exit, according to Sgt. Saul Jaeger of the Mountain View Police Department. Police found Manalo in possession of a credit card belonging to the homeowner, as well as a pair of scissors and a jar of peanut butter. Manalo was later arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges of burglary and possession of stolen property, and is being hold on a $50,000 bail.
ATTEMPTED WALMART THEFT A woman was detained by Walmart security and eventually arrested last week after allegedly trying to take over $1,000 in CDs and DVDs from the store without paying. Walmart security detained Stacie Giersch, a 20-year-old San Jose woman, after they witnessed her concealing the CDs and DVDs and leaving the store, according to Sgt. Saul Jaeger of the Mountain View Police Department. The stolen merchandise was valued at $1,284. Giersch was later arrested by police and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges of grand theft. —Kevin Forestieri
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El Camino Hospital kicked off a joint-venture partnership last month with Satellite Healthcare to continue providing local patients with dialysis services following the hospital’s decision to shut down all three of its own dialysis facilities. The deal marks a culmination of several years of work between the hospital and Satellite, according to Glenn Davis, chief innovation and commercial officer for the dialysis company. With the partnership, El Camino now has a nearby dialysis center that nephrologists can refer patients to, Davis said. Satellite Healthcare recently opened up a dialysis center just up the road from the hospital at 247 West El Camino Real. El Camino Hospital shut down its last dialysis center earlier this year after years of losing money on the service. Davis said it was See COMMUNITY BRIEFS, page 16
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LocalNews MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE
Mountain View Police breakdown of suspects and arrests for 2014
Suspects 43.6%
40%
Arrests
39.2%
30%
33.3% 28.8%
20%
26%
21.7%
21.1%
10% 6.2%
0
White
Asian
2.2%
7%
Hispanic or Latino
11.2%
Black or African-American Mountain View Police Department
The racial and ethnic breakdown of Mountain View’s population is from 2010 U.S. Census numbers, while the percentage of arrests and suspects are from 2014 crime statistics compiled by the Mountain View Police Department.
Mountain View is no Ferguson BUT CITY’S DISPROPORTIONATE CRIME STATS PROMPT CONCERN AT ROUNDTABLE ON POLICE RELATIONS By Mark Noack
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or the 130 people gathering last week at the Mountain View Senior Center auditorium, there came a moment when you could hear a pin drop. Police Chief Max Bosel slowly read out a breakdown of his department’s crime statistics by race. In 2014, AfricanAmericans, who make up only 2.2 percent of the city’s population, accounted for more than 21 percent of the city’s crimi-
nal suspects and 11 percent of arrests. Meanwhile Latinos — just 21 percent of the population — last year accounted for 39 percent of suspects and just under 44 percent of arrests. On the flip side, whites and Asians, the two largest population groups in Mountain View, were underrepresented when it came to arrests. Those numbers formed the backdrop for a civility roundtable last week titled, “How Can We Prevent Ferguson from Happening in Mountain
Q FEATURES
DANIEL THEODORE, 62, DEVELOPED LONG-RANGE AMMUNITION
Population
56%
Q COMMUNITY
MV man dies in house fire
60% 50%
Q CITY COUNCIL UPDATES
View?” In the case of Ferguson, Missouri, the U.S. Department of Justice found a pattern of racial bias in the police department, although it found no wrongdoing on the part of the white police officer responsible for the shooting death of black resident Michael Brown. Many in attendance last week agreed that Mountain View didn’t have the same kind of institutional racism as Ferguson; however, the city still could See FERGUSON, page 9
By Kevin Forestieri
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Mountain View man was found dead inside his home last week after a fire severely damaged and burned the interior of the house, destroyed power lines and spread to a nearby tree. The house, on the 700 block of Lola Lane, caught fire sometime before 3 a.m. on Thursday, April 23. When firefighters arrived the blaze had spread to the garage and the entire interior of the home, according to fire spokesperson Jaime Garrett. Frantic neighbors awakened by the blaze tried unsuccessfully to alert the victim before fire crews arrived. The man has been identified by Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office as 62-year-old Daniel Theodore, and his death has been attributed to smoke inhalation. Neighbors said Theodore lived in the house for the past 20 years. The house contained several rifles as well as a large amount of ammunition in the garage, which exploded during the fire, Garrett said. “There (were) several thousands rounds in there,” said Gary MacLeod, who lives two doors down from the home. “It was like a war zone or the Fourth of July with everything going on.” Police evacuated nearby residents out of concern that the fire would spread to other homes,
Garrett said, but no other houses were damaged. Fire crews were able to put out the fire by about 4 a.m. Eric Chamness, who lives next door to the house, said he woke up at around 3 a.m. to the sound of crackling, and when he looked outside he realized that both Theodore’s house and a nearby tree bordering his own home had caught fire. He got out of the house with his family and reported the fire. “It was completely silent and dark,” Chamness said. “It felt like, ‘Was this really happening?’” Chamness said he slammed on the door and yelled for his neighbor to get out of the house, but didn’t get a response. MacLeod said he broke through a window in an attempt to get inside, but backed off after a thick black cloud of smoke burst out the window and kept him from entering. “(The house) was too engulfed; it had probably been burning for 15 minutes,” MacLeod said. “The firemen told us it would’ve been stupid to go in.” McLeod said Theodore lived in the area for about 20 years, and described him as a “little bit reclusive,” living alone and mostly keeping to himself. He said his neighbor was passionate about rifles and developing longrange ammunition; he was well known among the gun commuSee FIRE, page 12
Bubb Elementary gets a makeover CHURCH GROUPS, BUSINESSES AND PARENTS BEAUTIFY SCHOOL IN WEEKEND EVENT By Kevin Forestieri
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ids at Bubb Elementary got a surprise Monday morning when they arrived at school to find a colorful rainbow blacktop filled with games and classroom walls covered with murals of their school mascot, the Bubb bear cub. Hundreds of volunteers spent the weekend on the campus cleaning up, beautifying the school and making improvements for the school staff; it was part of a region-wide effort to
invest in communities through projects similar to the Bubb beautification weekend. And so far, the kids seem to be digging it. “These kids were just buzzing,” said Bubb parent John Montgomery. “Most of them just had no idea. Even some of the parents didn’t realize the extent of the work that was done.” Sure to catch people’s eye are the seven or so murals of “Bubb cubs,” each telling a story, according to Bubb Principal Cyndee Nguyen. She said each mural follows a theme from the school’s Proj-
ect Cornerstone program, which focuses on youth empowerment through self-advocacy and caring for others. One mural depicts a bear swimming in water with a “no fishing” sign — a message that students can combat teasing and bullying by not taking the “hook” and ignoring any efforts to get under their skin, Nguyen said. Other projects include relandscaping, putting a “rainbow trail” on the blacktop and See BUBB, page 6
MICHELLE LE
Jonathan Trail, a volunteer from Saint Timothy’s Church, paints a mural during a beautification project at Bubb Elementary School. May 1, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
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LocalNews
Former Theuerkauf teacher tapped as new principal By Kevin Forestieri
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he Mountain View Whisman School District announced last week that Ryan Santiago, a former first-grade teacher at Theuerkauf Elementary School and a long-time neighborhood resident, will be taking over as principal this fall. Santiago kicked off his teaching career working at a private school in Redwood City teaching physical education and primary grades. Once he got his teaching credential, he said he moved straight over to the Mountain View Whisman School District in 2007, where he’s been working ever since. “I always knew that I wanted to work in a public school,” Santiago said.
After teaching for five years, Santiago became an instructional “coach” and helped other teachers in the classroom, bouncing from one school to another and working with directly with principals at Monta Loma, Landels, Huff and Theuerkauf Elementary. He said the experience was instrumental in helping him prepare for the new gig as principal, in part, because he learned how to build relationships with teachers and work with them to try out new instructional content. Santiago lives in the Rex Manor neighborhood, close to where Theuerkauf families and students live, and said he and his family are very much a part of the tightly knit community.
“It truly feels like an extension of my family,” Santiago said. Theuerkauf is traditionally the dis- Ryan Santiago trict’s lowest per forming school and has one of the highest concentrations of socio-economically disadvantaged students and Englishlanguage learners. Santiago said the school managed to hit an academic performance index (API) score of 800 a few years ago for the first time, and he said as principal he will push to continue that upward trend. One of his goals as principal, he said, was to provide challenging opportunities for
every student, including highachieving students, and will work directly with teachers to find ways to do that. Santiago said current Theuerkauf Principal Connie Sawdey, who announced her retirement this year, encouraged him to take on leadership roles in the district and helped to “shape him” during his time as an instructional coach at Theuerkauf. He also spent the last two years as a lead teacher for the district’s summer school program, where he worked alongside Cyndee Nguyen, a new teacher at Bubb Elementary with a similar background as an instructional coach. Sawdey said the district made an excellent choice picking Santiago as her successor, and
BUBB
Continued from page 5
building a storage shed for the campus janitors. With the shed, Nguyen said, the school’s janitors were able to move all their supplies out of their office and use that space for themselves. Montgomery said even the teachers got a pleasant surprise when they discovered that their lounge patio had been “fixed up.” Sheryl Anderson, the Bubb PTA president, said her new favorite spot is the patio area because it’s a great spot for staff to unwind and collaborate. “(It’s) a very peaceful and tranquil sanctuary away from the hectic classroom.” The number of people who showed up to help out over the weekend far exceeded expectations, Nguyen said, with about 700 waivers being signed between the two days. She said plenty of Bubb families showed up, but
MICHELLE LE
Volunteers help out with landscaping between classrooms at Bubb Elementary over the weekend.
the bulk of the help came from nearby neighborhood churches, including the New Beginnings
Community Church in Mountain View and the Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto.
Montgomery proposed the idea of beautifying the school in February, working with a part-
that he has shown “solid leadership skills” and a vested interest in the school’s future. “He’s extremely knowledgeable in all areas of curriculum and instructional practices,” Sawdey said. Santiago’s new position will come to the board for approval this month. If approved, he will take over as principal starting July 1 of this year. He has a son who begins kindergarten at Theuerkauf this year. Interim Superintendent Kevin Skelly said Santiago is immersed in the Theuerkauf community and practically lives within a “stone’s throw” of the school, and with his kids entering the school, he will be “all-in for Theuerkauf.” Email Kevin Forestieri at kforestieri@mv-voice.com V
nership of churches, businesses and community groups all over the Bay Area called Beautiful Day. He said most of the projects they’ve done so far have been in San Jose, but lately churches on the Peninsula have chosen projects in East Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and now Mountain View. Between five and six churches helped out at Bubb, with the New Beginnings Community Church taking the lead in sponsoring and paying for a lot of the work that was done. Bubb students also pitched in here and there. Anderson said she overheard students on Monday telling their friends which section they painted, which flowers they planted and where they picked up trash. “All the students were exploring the campus today beaming with pride,” Anderson said. Email Kevin Forestieri at kforestieri@mv-voice.com
May 2-3 • 10 am-6 pm • Castro Street ART • MUSIC • FOOD • FAMILY FUN • CLASSIC CAR SHOW 19th Annual Contemporary Fine Art, Cool Crafts • Stellar Live Music Kids’ Tons of Fun Zone • Health & Wellness Displays Home & Garden Exhibits • Farm-Fresh Produce Organic & Green Products • Fabulous Food & Drink
650-964-3395 • www.MiramarEvents.com • Presented by Mountain View Central Business Association • No Pets Please • Free Admission
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LocalNews EL CAMINO
Continued from page 1
who joined city government this year — Pat Showalter, Ken Rosenberg and Lenny Siegel — had each campaigned saying they opposed dedicated bus lanes. But after hours of late-night deliberation, Rosenberg, Showalter and Councilman Michael Kasperzak last week gradually came around to signaling support for the BRT proposal. The council ended up supporting the dedicated lanes in a 3-2 vote, with Mayor John McAlister and Chris Clark recusing themselves. In an interview on Wednesday, Rosenberg elaborated on his support for dedicated bus lanes, saying he understood why some Mountain View residents perceived his vote as a policy reversal. Since being elected, he said he reviewed more information and spoke with advocates from VTA and transportation advocacy groups. A major selling point for him, he said, was that bus-only lanes provided a transit solution for those struggling in Mountain View, including residents and workers commuting daily into town. “I changed my mind on the dedicated lane specifically because I now have a different perspective,” Rosenberg said. “You starting thinking to yourself, ‘How do you take care of these people?’ It’s my job not just to support people living in Mountain View but also those who work here.” Nevertheless, the backlash was swift from locals concerned the VTA’s bus plan would result in a traffic nightmare. Within a few days, an online petition demanding a reversal in the council’s support generated more than 500 signatures. On Tuesday, local attorney Gary Wesley said he was in the early stages of planning a recall petition against BRT supporters on the council. Other speakers vented their frustrations at the Tuesday, April 28 meeting. Addressing Rosenberg directly, Cuesta Park resident True Tourtillott said he felt misled by the councilman’s shift from when he was campaigning. “You stood on my front porch, you looked me in the eye and told me you opposed this plan,” he fumed. Asked about his campaign stances, Rosenberg explained that he had always supported the BRT plan in concept, but he specifically opposed the dedicated bus lanes. To a degree, he said his “naiveté” as a rookie politician caused him to do a poor job of articulating how his views had evolved. “I understand the animosity and vitriol and disappointment
felt by some people,” he said. “I take El Camino Real every day also, but the people who are so adamantly against this plan, they don’t have a great alternative.” In a sense, Mountain View’s support for the bus plan came as much as a result of the quirks of statewide conflict-of-interest rules as the policy leanings of individual city leaders. The two council members who didn’t vote, McAlister and Clark, both recused themselves from the decision due to owning property within 500 feet of El Camino Real. Speaking to the Voice on Wednesday, McAlister said he did not support the bus lane plan. Better transit solutions would be to extend a BART line through the South Bay or to improve express bus services, he said. “I have a great window from my store where I can see buses and they’re never near capacity,” he said. “I’m all for mass transit, but this wasn’t the correct answer.” Mountain View’s support for the bus plan provides a “jumping-off point” for transportation advocates to use to bolster support among other communities wary of the plan. It has always been a difficult case to make to individual cities to set aside their provincial interests and see the regional merits of the project, said Chris Lepe, Senior Community Planner with TransForm, a California public transit advocacy group. Past intransigence was to blame for scuttling other beneficial transit projects, such as plans to have BART wrap around the South Bay, he said. “Weighing the costs and benefits, (BRT) isn’t a perfect project, but let’s move forward together,” Lepe said. “This project not happening resonated with the Mountain View council. They don’t want to be those decision makers who, 20 years from now, people say: ‘What were they thinking?” For his part, Rosenberg was adamant that his support remained conditional on VTA presenting plans that served Mountain View. It would be a deal-breaker, he said, if transit officials didn’t add in an extra stop at Escuela Avenue, reasonable connectivity for distant neighborhoods and additional uses for the dedicated lanes. By signaling support for the plan now, Mountain View has a seat at the table, he said. “If we had said no, here’s what would have happened: the VTA board would have said, ‘We’re going to make a decision for them.’ They’d be cramming something down our throats,” Rosenberg said. Email Mark Noack at mnoack@mv-voice.com V
Ever Bitten Off More Than You Can Chew?
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Call Dr. McEvoy at 650-969-2600 for your free implant consultation. Then make a reservation at your favorite restaurant and prepare to eat with abandon!
As a Diplomat of the Board of Oral Implantology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, Dr. McEvoy has the highest level of certification possible. This means you can have your implant managed by just one highly trained doctor and you’ll soon be smiling again. COSMETIC DENISTRY • ONE TREATMENT LASER WHITENING • NO-PREP VENEERS CEREC (ONE V ISIT CROWNS) • GENER AL DENTISTRY • SEDATION DENTISTRY
105 South Dr., Ste. 200, Mountain View | www.drmcevoy.com 969-2600 May 1, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
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MEDICINE
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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015
LocalNews FERGUSON
Continued from page 5
do more to improve relations between minority communities and the police, they said. The event, organized by the city’s Human Relations Commission, was designed to address the issue of how race factors into local criminal justice in Mountain View, explained Human Relations Commissioner Aila Malik. The topic was provocative in its nature, she admitted. “This is becoming an issue that’s in the center and forefront in our country and media. Because of those tensions, we wanted to be proactive and have a civil discussion,” she said. “If we walk out of here feeling that Mountain View is nowhere near Ferguson, fantastic. If we feel there’s some work to be done, fantastic.” To discuss the issue, organizers put together an expert panel, including Chief Bosel as well as Santa Clara University Law Professor Margalynne Armstrong and former judge LaDoris Cordell. Drawing off the Mountain View crime numbers, Cordell expressed no small amount of alarm about the disproportionate arrests of blacks and Latinos. For her, the topic was familiar — until her retirement in March, she served as San Jose’s independent police auditor and was outspoken in urging for better outreach toward minority and immigrant communities. For Mountain View, the question was how to interpret the crime numbers, she said. “I’m certain there’s completely legitimate reason to stop people of color and make arrests ... but are people of color being stopped more frequently?” she said. “I decline to speculate other than to raise a concern and say this is an issue to be looked into.” The issue is complicated, Bosel agreed. He pointed out that his numbers presented a crude snapshot of his department’s operations. The demographics he drew from the 2010 U.S. Census were not entirely accurate, he said, because a large number of people regularly worked in Mountain View but lived elsewhere. As to the suspect numbers, his officers were often responding to witness reports of who was involved in a crime, he said. Surrounding South Bay cities show crime numbers that are similarly disproportionate, according to data provided by the state Attorney General’s Office. For example, only about 19 percent of Sunnyvale’s population is Hispanic, yet the minority group accounts for nearly 49 percent of the city’s arrests in 2013, the latest year of available data. His-
panics accounted for just under one-third of San Jose’s residents, but make up about 57 percent of the city’s arrests. But in terms of race relations, South Bay cities are a far cry from the climate in Ferguson, Armstrong said. In fact, she said she was in the Missouri town to visit her family around the time of Brown’s shooting death. Just from talking to people, it was evident that the black community had deeprooted distrust for the police and political establishment in town, she said. “Everyone has stories about being stopped in ways that felt unjust to them,” Armstrong said. “It was pretty much Jim Crow, and I don’t think you have that by any means here.” While Mountain View is certainly better, the city police and its citizens could be acting under “implicit bias,” Armstrong said. This could happen unconsciously, Cordell suggested. She described how when she was a Santa Clara County judge, her bailiff warned her that she seemed to have less patience for “pro pers,” defendants who choose to act their own attorneys. “I had to put the brakes on and realize that’s an implicit bias,” she said. “What I did to remedy that — I got an index card, and wrote ‘Pro pers are people too,’ and taped that to the bench.” For good relations with community, Cordell said it is vital for a police department to have commanding officers willing to talk about potential biases in policing and make the department duty manuals publicly
available. The duty manuals, Cordell said, describe guidelines the police have for various situations, such as when officers are stipulated to use force. It is also crucial to have a commitment to transparency and accountability, she said, and she strongly endorsed the nationwide push to outfit patrol officers with body cameras to provide a better account of each police encounter with the public. In this regard, Mountain View is already ahead of the pack. Last year, city police officials announced they were buying 66 body cameras and implementing policies to have the cameras on and recording prior to officers’ interactions with the public. In surrounding communities, bringing body cameras into regular police work hasn’t been free of problems. Three Menlo Park police officers were involved in a fatal shooting of a burglary suspect last year. But only two of the officers were equipped with cameras, and neither of them had their devices switched on during the incident. Toward the end of last week’s civility roundtable, attendees were surveyed about the local police, and opinions were generally positive. Is Mountain View safe? Of those surveyed, 75 percent said yes. Would you ask a police officers for help? Yes, reported 86 percent. Could something like Ferguson ever happen in Mountain View? Forty-six percent said no. E-mail Mark Noack at mnoack@mv-voice.com
Sunday, May 17, 2015 3:00 - 5:00 pm Join us for a garden party honoring six distinguished seniors who have made significant professional and community contributions:
Barbara Carlitz Ann DeBusk Bob Harrington Gib Myers Mary and Allan Seid Call (650) 289-5445 or visit www.avenidas.org for tickets and event location.
*:( ZHML[` UL[ WYVNYHTZ VќLY OLSW HUK HZZPZ[HUJL [V HKKYLZZ [OLZL JVTT\UP[` PZZ\LZ MVY SV^ PUJVTL PUKP]PK\HSZ HUK [OLPY MHTPSPLZ
HUNGER & FOOD INSECURITY
V
HIGH COST HOUSING
Inspirations
OF
a guide to the spiritual community LOS ALTOS LUTHERAN Bringing God’s Love and Hope to All
Children’s Nursery 10:00 a.m. Worship 10:10 Sunday School 11:15 a.m. Fellowship Pastor David K. Bonde Outreach Pastor Gary Berkland 460 South El Monte (at Cuesta) 650-948-3012 www.losaltoslutheran.org
To include your Church in
HOMELESSNESS
Inspirations Please call Blanca Yoc at 650-223-6596 or email
HELP us help them. HELP us help them, please.
byoc@paweekly.com
MOUNTAIN VIEW CENTRAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH Sabbath School: 9:30 a.m. Saturday Services: Worship 10:45 a.m. Wednesday Study Groups: 10-11 a.m.
Learn more about CSA and the people we help at http://svgives.razoo.com/story/Community-Services-Agency
Pastor Kenny Fraser, B.A.M. DIV
and then
1425 Springer Rd., Mtn. View - Office Hrs. M-F 9am-1pm www.mtviewda.adventistfaith.org Phone: 650-967-2189
JOIN us MAY 5, 2015 at our OPEN HOUSE/Reception
May 1, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
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1083 Cardinal Way, Palo Alto Offered at $1,988,000 Newly Rebuilt Home With Sleek Finishes Newly rebuilt and expanded into a modern design with cutting-edge amenities, this quiet, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home of 1,982 sq. ft. (per seller) sits on a lot of 6,515 sq. ft. (per city). Brand-new features include Porcelanosa engineered hardwood floors, oversized dual-pane windows, LED lighting, and Porcelanosa Krion bathroom vanities. Large, flexible common spaces with built-in speakers include open living and dining areas adjoining a bedroom that may be used as a home office. Centered by a granite-capped island, the crisp, modern kitchen offers chic finishes and designer Liebherr and Miele appliances. In the stylish master suite, a hanging door reveals a bathroom with a stunning walk-in shower and a soaking tub. Features like a twocar garage, radiant heating, Nest technology, and a Takagi tankless water heater lend practical luxuries to this innovative home. Here, you will be moments from Greer Park, U.S. 101., and Midtown Shopping Center. Top schools include Palo Verde Elementary (API 961), JLS Middle (API 943), and Palo Alto High (API 905). For video tour & more photos, please visit:
w w w . 1 0 8 3 Cardin alWay.c o m
OPEN HOUSE HOUSE OPEN
速
Ken D K DeLeon L CalBRE #01342140
Mi h l R Michael Repka k CalBRE #01854880
Saturday & Sunday, 1-5 pm Complimentary Lunch & Lattes
6 5 0 . 4 8 8 . 7 3 2 5 | i n f o @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m | w w w. d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m | C a l B R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4
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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015
1209 Portland Avenue, Los Altos Offered at $3,798,000 Dazzling Home With Hi-Tech Amenities Sleek updates and luxurious technology accent this 4 bedroom, 4 bath home of 3,362 sq. ft. (per county) on a lot of 0.28 acres (per county). The interior features intricate millwork, customized SmartHome lighting, and stunning remodeled bathrooms boasting Starphire shower glass. Common areas include a regal living room and a posh formal dining room, while the chef ’s island kitchen displays a Viking refrigerator, Viking double ovens, and a U-Line beverage cooler. Automated shades enhance both the kitchen and the family room. Topped by a trey ceiling, the master suite presents two walk-in closets and a luxuriant bath with a limestone bathtub and a two-person shower. Two bedrooms, a guest suite, and a hobby room with a workbench are upstairs. Additional features include a three-car garage, three fireplaces, a home office, and a rear terrace with a greenhouse. Within walking distance of Blach Intermediate (API 958), the home is also near Oak Avenue (API 987) and Mountain View High (buyer to verify eligibility). For video tour & more photos, please visit:
w w w . 1 2 0 9 P o rt lan d.c o m
OPEN HOUSE
ÂŽ
Ken D K DeLeon L CalBRE #01342140
Mi Michael h lR Repka k CalBRE #01854880
Saturday & Sunday, 1-5 pm Complimentary Lunch & Lattes
6 5 0 . 4 8 8 . 7 3 2 5 | i n f o @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m | w w w. d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m | C a l B R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4
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LocalNews
Villa Siena
SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY
LATINO STUDENTS
INDEPENDENT LIVING, ASSISTED LIVING, AND SKILLED NURSING CARE Y Studio and One Bedroom Units Y Beautiful Landscaping Y Compassionate Care We provide a serene atmosphere where residents can enjoy their golden years and maintain their dignity To schedule a tour, please call: 650-961-6484
1855 Miramonte Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94040 www.villa-siena.org Licensed by the CA. Dept. of Health Services #220000432 and CA. Dept. of Social Services #43070808114. Sponsored by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul.
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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015
FIRE
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grounds, as well as students of other races. Continued from page 1 “They completely bridged the gap in every single area. That’s Seattle-based nonprofit focused pretty amazing,” Ramsey said. While AP test results are still on identifying underrepresented minority students “capable” to come this year, it appears that of doing well in tough classes there is no decrease in the perbut who hadn’t enrolled in centage of students taking the test or in class performance since the them. Figuring out which students growth in enrollment, she said. Equal Opportunity Schools are able to take difficult classes is a data-heavy endeavor by provides data on first-generation Equal Opportunity Schools that students and underrepresented takes in information on grades, minorities, but it’s really up to the certain test scores and overall schools to encourage and recruit demographic data, according to the students to take AP and Angelica Ramsey, Santa Clara honors classes, Groves said. The County’s chief academic officer. school had counselors, teachThere are also plenty of non-data ers, and a task force working to factors such as aptitude, willing- encourage eligible students and ness to take courses, and cultural let them know that taking these influences that are important to difficult classes can give them a leg up when it’s take into account time to apply for as well, Ramsey said. ‘It’s one of the colleges. “Our job was “The local context is impor- most incredible to reach out to these students and get tant. Many students might not accomplishments them to take that of faith’ with know what AP I’ve seen in 37 ‘leap us,” said Principal even is. Minority Dave Grissom. parents may not years of my Working with know about these Equal Opportuclasses,” she said. career.’ nity Schools meant “The school cliSUPERINTENDENT hours of time mate may make BARRY GROVES spent identifying students feel like eligible students those courses and the best way aren’t for them.” At the April 1 county board to approach them, whether of education meeting, Ramsey through a counselor or a favorsaid Equal Opportunity Schools ite teacher, Grissom said. The can’t take all the credit — the students had filled out a survey high school had been working as part of the nonprofit’s data on greater inclusion of minor- collection, which asked them to ity groups in high-achieving name someone they identified classes for about 10 years — but with who works on the campus. Working off the success of this the recent results have been year, Grissom said, the school astounding. The school showed huge gains will continue to encourage stuin the number of low-income dents to take the difficult classes Latino students enrolled in at that improve their chances of least one AP class. In the 2013- getting into and finishing col14 school year, only about 20 lege. The school plans to intropercent of those students were duce a four-day AP “bridge taking AP classes, according to program” to make that transition data from the county. Just one a little easier. “Every year we need to strive to year later, that number jumped to over 70 percent. The district continually support these kids,” also saw gains across the board Grissom said. for African American students Email Kevin Forestieri at of all socio-economic backkforestieri@mv-voice.com
nity and would travel to national championships. “He had a Ph.D in electrical engineering,” he said. “He made algorithms for speed and distance ... he had articles published in gun magazines.” McLeod said when Theodore moved into the neighborhood, he was very fit and would participate in tri-athletics. He was also into biking — McLeod estimated that his neighbor had about 10
bicycles. He said Theodore was a friendly person and said his life was definitely on an “upward spiral.” The Mountain View police and fire departments will be conducting a joint investigation into the cause of the fire, which is normal whenever there is a loss of life, Garrett said. She said in her nine years of working in the department, there has been only one other firerelated fatality. Email Kevin Forestieri at kforestieri@mv-voice.com V
LocalNews EARTHQUAKE
Continued from page 1
appearing on Facebook. “The whole night we couldn’t sleep, we were trying to get a hold of our friends,” Pande said. “All we knew was that it was a huge earthquake.” In the immediate aftermath of the temblor, Pande couldn’t get a long-distance call through to Nepal, but said he later had more success using an online phone service. He was relieved to learn his family in Kathmandu, including his mother, niece and nephew, were unscathed although shaken up. They described a frightening experience trying to hobble downstairs from their third-story home to the ground amid a series of aftershocks. For the next two nights, they slept outside in the front yard. They’re still scared to go inside and sleep, even though their apartment building appears intact, Pande said. The destruction throughout the Nepalese capital seemed random, said Kishor Chaudhary, a Sunnyvale man who previously owned the Mountain View Nepalese art store Alpine World. His parents, both in their 70s, managed to get outside of their Kathmandu home during the disaster without injury. But their neighbors were not as lucky. The building next-door completely collapsed in the earthquake, and at least 20 of their neighbors died, his parents told him. Bay Area residents visiting Nepal were also among the casualties. Dan Fredinburg, an employee working on privacy at Google, was among those killed in a series of avalanches that hit the base camp of Mount Everest following the earthquake. Sunnyvale resident Vinh Truong, a Kaiser Permanente employee, was also killed in the avalanches. With thousands injured and countless others displaced from their homes, the disaster has overwhelmed the capabilities of officials in Nepal. The average citizen in Nepal subsists on a little more than $2 a day, and nearly one-third of the nation’s economy comes in the form of remittances from citizens working abroad, according to 2013 figures from the World Bank. In recent days, Nepal’s government officials have called for international aid to help. In the Bay Area, a scattered group of Nepalese organizations have come together to coordinate relief efforts. About a dozen groups gathered on Monday and agreed to join efforts to better manage donations and distribution, Pande said. Local Nepalese organizers say are very concerned about the aftermath of the quake, and that
more will die if food, shelter and other necessities aren’t quickly provided. Pande didn’t believe Nepal’s government is up to the task, saying he feared corruption or bureaucratic delays would hinder aid getting those who needed it the most. In a sign of rising tensions earlier this week, Nepalese residents displaced by the earthquake have reportedly blocked roads and clashed with police to protest the lack of aid. “Our past experience has been, we do these fundraisers and it goes to the prime minister,” he said. “We have a fear that the
money we send might be filtered out or it might be misused.” For that reason, the local Nepal coalition is primarily coordinating relief efforts through the International Red Cross, but Pande said any contributions to aid groups are appreciated. They were delighted to see a groundswell of support from many private companies, including a pledge from Facebook to match up to $2 million in donations made through the site. Donations to the Red Cross can be made at www.redcross.org. V
COURTESY OF AASMA BISTA
In Kathmandu, displaced residents have been living for days in makeshift tents following Saturday’s earthquake. Nepalese citizens living in the Bay Area are trying to send immediate aid to prevent further deaths from the disaster.
Public Hearing Notice Citizens Watchdog Committee on 2000 Measure A Program Expenditures Results of Independent Compliance Audit on FY2014 2000 Measure A Program Expenditures *1 Ê , \ The Citizens Watchdog Committee (CWC) for the 2000 Measure A Transit Sales Tax Program (“Measure A”) is holding a ballot-required public hearing on FY 2014 Measure A expenditures to receive input from the community:
Tuesday, May 12, 2015 6:30 p.m. VTA Auditorium 3331 N. First Street San Jose, CA 95134 (This location is served by VTA Light Rail and Bus Line 58.)
The public is encouraged to attend, but for those unable, written comments will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on May 12 by email to: board.secretary@vta.org or by mail to: Office of the Board Secretary, 3331 N. First Street, Building B-1, San Jose, CA 95134-1927. Sign language and additional interpreter service will be provided upon request. If these services are required, please contact VTA Customer Service at least five days prior to the meeting at (408) 321-2300, TTY (408) 321-2330.
Copies of Measure A Program documents and reports are available for public inspection from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) offices at 3331 N. First Street, San Jose, CA in the Building B lobby. They are also available for viewing at local public libraries and at VTA’s website: www.vta.org (which includes accessible versions). Questions on the public hearing should be directed to: Stephen Flynn, Advisory Committee Coordinator, at (408) 321-5720 or to stephen.flynn@vta.org. * /Ê 1 /\ Fulfilling its ballot-defined responsibilities, the CWC commissioned an audit of the Measure A Program financial records and schedule for Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014). Macias Gini & O’Connell LLP, independent certified public accountants, conducted the compliance audit in accordance with attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. They issued an unqualified (“clean”) opinion on Measure A Program compliance with the ballot. Copies of the audit results and other related reports are available at the locations stated above and at www.vta.org.
15/04-0081
vta.orgÊÊUÊ {än®ÊÎÓ£ xÈnäÊÊUÊÊ//9\Ê{än®ÊÎÓ£ ÓÎÎä May 1, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
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LocalNews
Game-day parking rules to continue downtown WITH FEWER CARS AND COMPLAINTS, COUNCIL SHRINKS PILOT PROGRAM BUT DOESN’T END IT By Mark Noack
F
ears that 49ers’ games at the new Levi’s Stadium would create a Mountain View parking nightmare turned out to be little more than a bugaboo, city officials acknowledged last week. Nevertheless, city leaders showed support for giving one more year to a
pilot program meant to tightly regulate downtown parking on game days through dashboard permits and new fees. In a 6-1 vote, the Mountain View City Council approved spending an additional $28,000 to enforce a scaled-back program of fees and three-hour time limits for motorists parking downtown during large events.
10% Early Registration discount for Summer program until May 16th
WA R N IN G:
YOUR CH ILD
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CO U LD BEC OM E
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M ATH
Yes, YOUR Child Could Become Crazy About Math!
Last year, city officials predicted they would have 500 to 600 drivers leaving their vehicles in Mountain View to take light rail south to the 49ers’ new stadium. To be ready for sea of cars, the city launched a $75,000 pilot program to institute a three-hour time limit for street parking in areas near the train station. As part of the effort, the city relocated the Farmers’ Market from the Castro Street Caltrain parking lot to a different lot about four blocks south. On game days, drivers were charged $10 to park for the day at four downtown parking lots. Last week, city staff reported that the number of drivers leaving their cars in Mountain View fell far short of their original projections. On average, just over 100 drivers were paying to park in Mountain View. Three extra police officials were assigned to enforce parking rules on game days, resulting in a total of 290 parking citations, according to police reports. But parking complaints were relatively minimal from businesses and nearby residents, and police officials pointed out they heard of no problems on three occasions when they decided to pull
their extra staffing off parking enforcement. Some in attendance last week described the parking program as a waste. Former City Council candidate Jim Neal pointed out that his neighbors were fearful of getting ticketed despite the city’s parking permits for residents. “This program is a humongous waste of time and resources. City staff could be doing a lot more productive things than worrying about who parks and where,” he said. “Don’t waste all these resources for something that really isn’t necessary.” Others disputed that viewpoint. One resident spoke to request the city to expand the area where parking would be restricted to include her neighborhood near Central Expressway. City staff proposed shrinking the restricted parking area to just the immediate blocks near the Castro Street Caltrain Station, but they recommended continuing the pilot program one more year to provide more time to gauge the parking demands. Going forward, only one city parking lot at Hope and Dana streets would be needed for paid parking, staff recommended.
But city staff noted that all bets were off on how Mountain View would be impacted next year when the Levi’s Stadium hosted the Super Bowl. The city would take up plans to handle traffic on that specific game day at a future meeting, they promised. Most council members were amenable to extending the parking program one more year even as they explained why it was needed in the first place. “It was a pilot program — we probably would have gotten more wrath from the neighbors if we didn’t do it,” reasoned Mayor John McAlister. The lone dissenter, Councilman John Inks criticized the 2,200 hours logged in staff time needed to implement the parking program. “The first year’s results are very underwhelming. I don’t see how we can support the funding cost for downtown parking,” he said. “I have to ask at this point why we have to continue the program instead of just going back to signage.” The council approved the staff recommendations in a 6-1 vote with Inks opposing. E-mail Mark Noack at mnoack@mv-voice.com V
Governor proposes new water-conservation enforcement powers for local agencies Mathnasium of Mountain View-Los Altos 2510 W. El Camino Real, Ste. #4 Mountain View, CA 94040 650-941-MATH (6284) mountainviewlosaltos@mathnasium.com www.mathnasium.com/MountainViewLosAltos 1ST - 12TH GRADES • HOMEWORK HELP • SUMMER PROGRAMS
FINES WOULD INCREASE TO $10,000 A DAY
C
alifornia Gov. Jerry Brown announced legislation Tuesday that would authorize penalties of up to $10,000 a day against those found to have wasted water and give local authorities new powers to enforce conservation requirements.
Attend Stanford while living at home. Stanford’s High School Summer College is an academically selective program that provides high-achieving high school students the ability to attend Stanford University in the summer. The program runs 8 weeks and participants enroll as visiting undergraduates students in Stanford’s Summer Quarter and take the same courses as Stanford undergraduates. Summer College students can choose from 145 courses across 30 university departments. Live at home and attend Stanford for as low as $3,400.
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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015
Brown announced the new legislation following a meeting with a number of California mayors, including many from the Bay Area, to discuss the state’s drought response. The proposed legislation will include a new penalty of up to $10,000 per violation, which represents a sharp increase over the $500 per day maximum set in last year’s drought legislation. In addition, the legislation will allow wholesale and retail water agencies as well as city and county governments to enforce local and state restrictions. It will also deputize staff to issue citations, warnings and penalties -- speeding up the infraction process. Any fines levied by local authorities would be used for local conservation efforts under the proposed legislation, according to the governor’s office. The governor also said he has directed his staff and state agencies to look for ways to streamline the environmental review
process for local water agencies pursuing projects that could increase water supplies with limited environmental impacts. “These measures will strengthen the ability of local officials to build new water projects and ensure that water is not wasted,” Brown said in a statement. “As this drought stretches on, we’ll continue to do whatever is necessary to help communities save more water.” The proposal to facilitate environmental approval for water supply projects has particular relevance for San Jose and Santa Clara officials, who are hoping to start work quickly on a $612 million wastewater recycling project that would expand an existing plant and upgrade several reservoirs. Current state environmental approval rules could delay the start of construction on the North San Jose plant by nearly two years, officials said Monday. See CONSERVATION, page 15
LocalNews
All in for the Mountain View Spring Parade
MICHELLE LE
Clockwise from top: Mountain View’s Spring Parade drew participants of all ages, including families from Little Acorn School, who marched along Castro Street during the Saturday, April 25, event; Lily and Daniel, both 7, represented the Castro School Cougars at the parade; members of the Spartan Drumline from Mountain View High School lent rhythmic flare to the proceedings.
CONSERVATION Continued from page 14
“The governor gets it,� San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said after Tuesday’s meeting. While the exact form the governor’s assistance might take has not yet been determined, “I feel confident that this governor understands the urgency and the need to enable cities like San Jose and Santa Clara, with our water district, to create a more sustainable
water supply,� Liccardo said. Tuesday’s proposals follow Brown’s announcement earlier this month of mandatory 25 percent statewide reductions in urban water use, the first such order in state history. The determination of how to achieve that reduction was left up to individual water agencies, with each agency assigned a target reduction based on their current per-capita water use. Agencies that fail to make the
reductions could face fines of up to $10,000 per day, according to state officials. After two dry winters California’s mountain snowpack, which supplies much of the state’s fresh drinking water, is at historic lows. As of the beginning of April, statewide snowpack was at only five percent of the historic average. The previous historic lows were 25 percent in 2014 and 1977, state officials said. —Bay City News Service
New to the areadance? or new to Silicon Valley’s dance leader will be accepting registration for the 2015-2016 dance season begining in April. Call today to make sure you are on our New Student Mailing List.
408-257-3211
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May 1, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
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LocalNews
Kitten fundraiser at pet stores
We’re hiring Associate Editor at the Palo Alto Weekly The award-winning news organization Palo Alto Weekly/ PaloAltoOnline.com is seeking a well-rounded journalist to become our new associate editor. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable editing hard and soft news and possesses the creativity, organizational aptitude, focus on quality and adroitness in interpersonal communications to guide publications from start to finish. Our associate editor plays a key role as the deputy head of the department, helping to ensure the smooth operation of the team and leading the department in the absence of the editor-in-chief. Experience as a news reporter or editor is desired, as is knowledge of the Palo Alto community. An enjoyment of teamwork and the ability to develop writers, including interns and freelancers, are musts. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in home and real estate topics, the position‘s main beat. New to the job will be the responsibility to push the bounds of digital presentation on those topics. Beyond real estate, the associate editor is involved in news coverage, arts, cover stories and special publications. This is a benefited position, offering health insurance and a 401(k) savings plan, paid vacation, paid sick time and paid company holidays. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. To apply, please submit a cover letter detailing how your experience fits the needs of the position. Also attach your resume, three articles you‘ve written and links to two publications or sections you‘ve edited. Email the materials, with ”Associate Editor” in the subject line, to Editor Jocelyn Dong at jdong@paweekly.com. No phone calls, please.
450 Cambridge Avenue | Palo Alto, CA 94306 | 650.326.8210
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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015
A “Save a kitten” fundraiser will be held all throughout May in Pet Food Express stores in preparation for litters born in the spring. Organizers are asking community members to consider fostering kittens from local shelters or donating to the ongoing “Save a kitten” fundraiser. According to a press release from Pet Food Express, fostering kittens involves two phases. Phase one responsibilities include 24-hour care of kittens and bottle-feeding the kittens every three hours. Phase two includes feeding the kittens and socializing with them. Money or item donations such as pre-ween kits, kitty litter, or cat food will provide supplies for foster families and support shelters and rescue organizations that are
COMMUNITY BRIEFS Continued from page 4
commonplace for hospitals to run dialysis centers in the 1970s, but hospitals have since “exited” the dialysis business as private companies have been able to run the service more efficiently. “In the last 20 to 30 years we’ve seen a huge shift in who owns and operates dialysis services,” Davis said. “El Camino Hospital is just one piece of that migration.”
MVHS TAPS NEW BASKETBALL COACH Mountain View High School officials recently announced that Richard Fujii will be the new head coach of girls basketball. Fujii has had experience working with the Mountain View-Los Altos (MVLA) district before and has been coaching basketball for years. He spent the last season
COURTESY OF PET FOOD EXPRESS
caring for kittens. For more information, contact Mike Murray of Pet Food
at Los Altos High School working as a varsity assistant. Prior to working at LAHS, Fujii was a varsity head coach in Southern California for seven seasons. Fujii also works for the high school district as the Workability Program Coordinator. During the summer, Fujii is an assistant director at Snow Valley Basketball School in Santa Barbara. —Rachel Lee
CHAC HOSTS TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FORUM The Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) is hosting a speaker series next week for local high schools students to talk about mental health issues and the stress and frustration of being a teenager in the Bay Area. The focus will be on how Silicon Valley culture puts pressure on youth to set impossible goals for themselves, and how parents
Express at (925)-705-5762 or at mmurray@petfoodexpress.com —Rachel Lee
may be adding to that pressure. Parents, school staff, community members and fellow teens are all encouraged to attend. Speakers will include four teens from Mountain View and Alta Vista high schools as well as Foothill College. The event is intended to empower youth and give them the “courage to share their honest and powerful stories,” according to a CHAC press release. CHAC is a nonprofit group focused on mental health therapy in the community, and provides one-on-one therapy services to hundreds of students at Mountain View and Los Altos high schools each year. The speaker series will be hosted at CHAC’s office in Mountain View at 590 West El Camino Real on Thursday, May 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Admission to the event is free for youth and $20 for adults. —Kevin Forestieri
Viewpoint
Q EDITORIAL Q YOUR LETTERS Q GUEST OPINIONS
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Q S TA F F EDITOR Andrea Gemmet (223-6537) EDITORIAL Associate Editor Renee Batti (223-6528) Staff Writers Kevin Forestieri (223-6535) Mark Noack (223-6536) Intern Rachel Lee Photographer Michelle Le (223-6530) Photo Intern Magali Gauthier Contributors Dale Bentson, Angela Hey, Sheila Himmel, Ruth Schecter DESIGN & PRODUCTION Marketing and Creative Director Shannon Corey (223-6560) Design and Production Manager Lili Cao (223-6562) Designers Linda Atilano, Kristin Brown, Diane Haas, Rosanna Leung, Paul Llewellyn, Douglas Young ADVERTISING Vice President Sales and Marketing Tom Zahiralis (223-6570) Advertising Representative Adam Carter (223-6573) Real Estate Account Executive Rosemary Lewkowitz (223-6585) Published every Friday at 450 Cambridge Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 964-6300 fax (650) 964-0294 Email news and photos to: editor@MV-Voice.com
BUS LANE SUPPORT SWITCH DISAPPOINTING I supported freshmen Mountain View City Councilors Ken Rosenberg and Pat Showalter in last fall’s elections, in part because of their pragmatic view of transportation policy on El Camino Real. At a candidates’ forum on September 2, Rosenberg stated, “I do not support a [bus] lane, not here in Mountain View. I don’t see it as a viable alternative for our community.” Showalter concurred: “We need to work on frequency of buses.” At another forum, Showalter noted that her own commute would take approximately two hours by public transportation, or four times as long as by car. On Tuesday, both Rosenberg and Showalter flip-flopped by voting for a dedicated bus lane, ostensibly to stick it to a nebulous “car culture.” Bus lane or not, Silicon Valley’s low population density means
Email Classified ads@MV-Voice.com Email Circulation circulation@MV-Voice.com The Voice is published weekly by Embarcadero Media Co. and distributed free to residences and businesses in Mountain View. If you are not currently receiving the paper, you may request free delivery by calling 964-6300. Subscriptions for $60 per year, $100 per 2 years are welcome. ©2015 by Embarcadero Media Company. All rights reserved. Member, Mountain View Chamber of Commerce
Q WHAT’S YOUR VIEW? All views must include a home address and contact phone number. Published letters will also appear on the web site, www.MountainViewOnline.com, and occasionally on the Town Square forum. Town Square forum Post your views on Town Square at MountainViewOnline.com Email
your views to letters@MV-Voice.com. Indicate if letter is to be published.
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By endorsing bus lanes on El Camino, council members Kasperzak, Rosenberg and Showalter have sent a clear message to residents of Mountain View and nearby communities: Suck it up. Stuck in traffic? Suck it up. Alternate routes more congested than ever? Suck it up. Cars cutting through your quiet neighborhood, making your streets unsafe? Suck it up. Six hundred, sixty-seven trees
By Lenny Siegel
News/Editorial Department (650) 964-6300 fax (650) 964-0294
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COUNCIL VOTE SENDS UNWELCOME MESSAGE
removed along the route? Suck it up. VTA official John Ristow claims, “... we have such a rich network of roadways that can accommodate a diversion of traffic. It’s a fairly modest and minor amount of traffic diversion.” He must not have read his own agency’s environmental impact report (tinyurl.com/lztf7ue). Each lane on El Camino carries 950 cars/hour. VTA assumes they would divert “to the surrounding roadway system,” i.e., residential streets. The plan even lists intersections where diverted traffic would cause “significant and unavoidable traffic impacts.” Councilman Rosenberg thinks rejecting bus lanes means “we want more cars,” and considers it a matter of future planning. Were our local governments planning for the future when they approved millions of square feet of office space up and down the Peninsula? Or were they just captivated by the dollar signs inherent in tenants like Google
and Facebook? Our quality of life has rapidly deteriorated because our socalled representatives engage in wishful thinking while ignoring complaints of traffic and parking problems. Then they condemn us for driving cars and being NIMBYs — while our neighborhoods become the collateral damage for their mistakes. Pat Marriott Oakhurst Avenue Los Altos
GRATEFUL FOR FLASHING PEDESTRIAN LIGHTS Kudos to Mountain View city officials and everybody else involved in installing the flashing pedestrian crossing lights at three Shoreline Boulevard locations. I appreciate the action taken to prevent any accidents for pedestrians crossing, as the lights are bright and very visible. Thanks to all. Akbar Currimbhoy Sutter Creek Lane
Improve transit without El Camino bus lanes
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that people here drive cars and always will. Eliminating car lanes will not reduce the number of cars on El Camino; on the contrary, it will create gridlock. I am disappointed in both of these once-promising city leaders. The Mountain View City Council should not be in the business of making life difficult for Mountain View commuters. Christopher B. Stone Montecito Avenue
M
ountain View and our surrounding cities need better transit. We need better bus service for those who do not drive cars, and we need fixed transit to bring workers to centers of employment. But establishing bus lanes on El Camino Real is not the answer. The goal of public transportation should be to increase mobility for all, not to make driving so difficult that more people will ride buses. Removing one lane from El Camino Real for buses that run every 10 minutes, as well as removing five left-turn lanes, will slow traffic and force more cars onto nearby residential streets. The $233 million capital cost of this project could be better spent elsewhere. The Valley Transportation Authority’s own environmental impact report found that “mixed flow,” the alternative that would have express buses sharing the roadway with other vehicles, is the “environmentally superior alternative.” It found that mixed flow “would create the fewest inconsistencies with local traffic plans and would not substantially disrupt traffic ...” At the April 21 City Council meeting, VTA officials dismissed that finding and pointed instead to a model that showed that the traffic driven from El Camino Real would spread throughout the city, as if that were a good
Guest Opinion thing. VTA models indicate that during the evening peak-hour, 660 eastbound vehicles will be diverted to multiple alternate routes. Of course, anyone who lives, works, or travels down those alternate streets knows they are already crowded. This is as much a problem for low-income families renting on Latham as for homeowners on Church Street. As new El Camino housing is occupied, the number of cars diverted can only rise. The bus lane debate is a not a conflict between wealthier and low-income people. Particularly as more high-priced housing units are built along El Camino, I expect that both drivers and bus-riders on this busy thoroughfare, as well as those forced onto alternate routes, will include all income levels. If the goal is to serve low-income residents better, then VTA should improve the service on the local El Camino bus, the 22. Instead, under the bus lane proposal, the 22 will run less often, and it will be stuck in traffic with the automobiles. I have consistently argued for land use, parking, bicycle, and transit policies and investments to make it easier for people of all income levels to live, work, or study in Mountain View without driving or even owning a car. If that’s the goal, then VTA
should focus on first-mile and last-mile solutions, such as north-south transit improvements, park-and-ride opportunities, and even bicycle storage that will make it easier for people to get to and from CalTrain and the El Camino buses. That is, we should entice people out of single-occupancy vehicles by improving mobility, not attempt to force people out of their cars by restricting it. The latter is politically unsustainable. That is, if average voters believe that specific transit investments, such as the proposed El Camino bus lanes, will make it harder for them to get around, then they will oppose all transit investments. Like many other people, I was surprised and disappointed by the Mountain View City Council’s three-to-two advisory vote on April 21. But I think we should focus on VTA, not the council. VTA has been using its public participation process and environmental review neither to hear what the public wants nor to respond to the project’s environmental impacts. However, if enough people speak out, dedicated bus lanes all the way through Mountain View will not be built. Lenny Siegel was elected to the City Council last November. He and John Inks voted against the bus lane proposal, which was endorsed by the council on a 3-2 vote.
May 1, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
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G U I D E TO 2015 S U M M E R C A M P S F O R K I D S
For more information about these camps, see our online directory of camps at www.paloaltoonline.com/biz/summercamps/ To advertise in this weekly directory, call: 650-326-8210
Arts, Culture, Other Camps Camp Argo
Menlo Park
Camp Campbell
Santa Cruz Mountains
Boys and girls, ages 4 to 12. Age appropriate arts, crafts, collaborative games and sports, interpersonal development, personal goals and more. Safe, learning environment. One week sessions starting June 8 through July 31. Register online. www.campargo.com 562.761.7539
For close to 80 years, Bay Area youth have forged life-long friendships and benefited from character-defining experiences at Camp Campbell through nature hikes, campfires, archery and many other fun outdoor activities. Financial assistance is available. http://www.ymcacampcampbell.org/ 831.338.2128
Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA)
Hi Five Sport
Mountain View
50+ creative camps for Gr. K-8! Drawing, Painting, Ceramics, Sculpture, Musical Theater, School of Rock, Digital Arts, more! One- and two-week sessions; full and half-day enrollment. Extended care available. Financial aid offered. www.arts4all.org 650.917.6800 ext.0
Environmental Volunteers Summer Camp
Palo Alto
Explore nature this summer from your own backyard. Environmental Volunteer summer camps return with a new series of programs. Hands-on activities, field trips and creative fun make science accessible to kids ages 6-11. www.Evols.org/Explore 650.493.8000
Foothills Summer Camps
Palo Alto
In this historic, popular, traditional day camp your child will play on miles of trails, woodlands, fields, streams, Boronda Lake, and enjoy spectacular views of the bay area. Transportation to and from Foothills Park is provided each day. www.cityofpaloalto.org/foothillscamps
J-Camp Oshman Family JCC
Palo Alto
Exciting activities for kindergarteners through teens include swimming, field trips, sports and more. Enroll your child in traditional or special focus camps like Studio TV Production, Jr. Masterchef, Elsa and Anna’s Dance Camp, Beach Bonanza and many others! www.paloaltojcc.org/summercamp 650.223.8622
Pacific Art League
Palo Alto
Calling Creative Kids ages 9-17. Discover the joy of visual art and self expression. Instructors are professional artists. Camps include Cartooning & Comics, Animation Basics and Drawing Our Favorite Pets. Supervised lunch available. www.pacificartleagure.org 650.321.3891
Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC)
Palo Alto
PACCC summer camps offer campers, grades 1st to 6th, a wide variety of fun opportunities! Neighborhood Adventure Fun and Junior Varsity Sports Adventure Camp are for the more active and on-the-go campers! New this year: E.P.I.C. Camp – Energetic, Peers, Independence & Community for the older kids! Returning are FAME - Fine arts, Music and Entertainment and Operation Chef for out of this world cooking fun! Swimming twice per week, periodic field trips, special visitors and many engaging camp activities, songs and skits round out the fun offerings of PACCC Summer Camps! Open to campers from all communities! Come join the fun in Palo Alto! Register online. www.paccc.org 650.493.2361
STANFORD EXPLORE
Stanford
Atherton
Hi Five Sports is thrilled to present our fourth multi-sport competitive summer camp to the San Francisco Bay Area! Through experienced, passionate and patient coaching, we believe the timeless lessons that only sports can teach will stay with the kids for the rest of their lives. www.hifivesportsclub.com 650.362.4975
Menlo School Sports Camps
Atherton
Menlo camps are designed for boys and girls grades 4-12 to learn from Knights coaches and staff -whether it’s preparation for an upcoming season or simply for fun and to stay in shape in a high energy, positive setting. Join us this summer to develop skills, foster athleticism and promote sportsmanship in camps covering a range of sports - baseball, basketball, football (skills, lineman, and safe tackling camps) lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo. www.menloschool.org 650.330.2001 ext. 2758
Nike Tennis Camps
Stanford University
Fun and enriching technology classes for students, ages 5-16. Courses include LEGO® projects with motors, MINDSTORMS® EV3® & NXT® Robotics, Computer Game Design, Arduino™ Electronics, iPad® Movie Making, and a Tech Camp for girls. Classes feature high-interest, ageappropriate projects based on the S.T.E.M. curriculum. Half and Full day options. Early bird and multiple week discounts are available. www.techknowhowkids.com 650.638.0500
TheatreWorks Summer Camps
Palo Alto
In these entertaining camps for grades K-5, students enjoy juggling, clowning, puppetry, playwriting, acting, improvisation, music, dance and present their own original pieces at the end of each session. www.theatreworks.org/learn/youth/summercamps
YMCA Summer Camps
Throughout Silicon Valley
At the Y, youth of all ages make new friends, build character and learn new skills. With hundreds of unique camps and 30+ convenient locations, you’ll find a camp that’s right for your family. Financial assistance is available. www.ymcasv.org/summer 408.351.6473
iD Game Design and Development Academy
Stanford
Get immersed in game design at this 2-week, pre-college summer academy! Teens ages 13-18 design video games, develop apps, model 3D characters, mod with Minecraft, and more. Tour a development studio and create a portfolio. www.iDTech.com 1.888.709.8324
iD Programming Academy
Stanford
Get immersed in technology at this 2-week, pre-college summer academy. Teens ages 13-18 code apps, program with C++ and Java, mod with Minecraft, engineer robots, and program websites. Tour a development studio and create a portfolio. www.iDTech.com 1.888.709.8324
Code, game, create! At iD Tech Camps, students ages 7-17 code apps, design video games, mod with Minecraft, engineer robots, build websites, produce movies, and more. Kids meet new friends and gain a competitive edge. www.iDTech.com 1.888.709.8324
Atherton
Have some fun in the sun playing tennis at Player Capital Tennis’ Summer Camps. June 15th-August 14th, Monday - Friday, 9am-1pm and 1pm5pm. Ages 4-18. Camps held at Holbrook-Palmer Park and Valley Church. www.playercapital.com 650.275.3027
Stanford Baseball Camps
Stanford Campus
Stanford Baseball Camps have gained national recognition as the some of the finest in the country. These camps are designed to be valuable and beneficial for a wide range of age groups and skill sets. From the novice 7 year-old, to the Division 1, professionally skilled high school player, you will find a camp that fulfills your needs. www.Stanfordbaseballcamp.com 650.723.4528
Stanford Water Polo
Stanford
Ages 7 and up. New to sport or have experience, we have a camp for you. Half day or fully day option for boys and girls. All the camps offer fundamental skill work, scrimmages and games. www.stanfordwaterpolocamps.com 650.725.9016
Summer at Saint Francis
Mountain View
Summer Camp@SportsHouse (Powered by Skyhawks)
Palo Alto Menlo Park/Sunnyvale
San Jose
K-12 offerings taught by exceptional, experienced faculty and staff. K-6 morning academics – focusing on math, language arts and science – and full spectrum of afternoon recreation. Grades 6-12 for credit courses and non-credit enrichment opportunities. Sports programs also offered. www.summer.harker.org 408.553.0537
Player Capital Tennis
Stanford Jazz Workshop
TechKnowHow® LEGO® and Technology Summer Camp
Harker Summer Programs
iD Tech Mini
A Lecture Series on Biomedical Research EXPLORE biomedical science at Stanford! Stanford EXPLORE offers high school students the unique opportunity to learn from Stanford professors and graduate students about diverse topics in biomedical science, including bioengineering, neurobiology, immunology and many others. explore.stanford.edu explore-series@stanford.edu
Stanford University Campus
Palo Alto
Casti Camp offers girls a range of age-appropriate activities including athletics, art, science, computers, writing, crafts, cooking, drama and music classes each day along with weekly field trips. www.castilleja.org/summercamp 650.328.3160
Junior Overnight and Day Camps for boys & girls, ages 9-18 offered throughout June, July and August. Adult Weekend Clinics (June & Aug). Camps directed by Head Men’s Coach, Paul Goldstein, Head Women’s Coach, Lele Forood, and Associate Men’s and Women’s Coaches, Brandon Coupe and Frankie Brennan. Come join the fun and get better this summer! www.USSportsCamps.com 1.800.NIKE.CAMP (645.3226)
Sports & Activity Camp (ages 6-12): This all-sports camp provides group instruction in a variety of fields, indoor & outdoor court games and activities. Saint Francis faculty and students staff the camp, and the focus is always on fun. The program is dedicated to teaching teamwork, sportsmanship and positive self-esteem. After camp care is available. www.sfhs.com/summer 650.968.1213 x650
Week-long jazz immersion programs for young musicians in middle school (starts July 13), high school (July 19 and July 26), and college, as well as adults (August 2). All instruments and vocals. stanfordjazz.org
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Castilleja Summer Camp for Girls
Athletics
Redwood City
June 15-August 14. Weekly indoor sports day camp for kids 6-13 years old. Fun filled sports and games directed by Skyhawks. Full day 9am-4pm camp includes lunch and optional after camp care. www.sportshouseonline.com 650.362.4100
Wheel Kids Bicycle Club
Palo Alto
Wheel Kids is Palo Alto’s premier adventure and exploration summer day camp for boys and girls 5-15 yrs old. Camps run weekly from June 8th – July 31st, offering a range of cultural, recreational and environmental learning opportunities, all based on our daily bicycling adventures. Join us this summer as we teach your kids safe bicycle riding skill & habits, help build their self confidence and esteem, and begin a life-long journey of health and fitness while helping improve our environment. www.wheelkids.com 650.520.6524
Academics Alexa Café
Palo Alto High School
At Alexa Café, girls ages 10-15 collaborate around café tables and learn to code apps, produce films, design websites, develop wearable electronics, and more. Discover a passion for technology in this unique environment that emphasizes leadership, philanthropy, and more. www.iDTech.com 1.888.709.8324
Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015
Palo Alto High School
Kids ages 6-9 will have a blast at iD Tech Mini, where half day options let aspiring innovators discover a love for tech. Campers make new friends and learn hands-on STEM skills in a kid-friendly environment. www.iDTech.com 1.888.709.8324
iD Tech Camps
Mid-Peninsula High School
Stanford
Menlo Park
Mid-Pen offers summer courses designed to help students make up high school credits and a diverse range of enriching courses that go beyond traditional curriculum. In addition to courses in math, science, English, Spanish, and SAT/ACT prep, we invite students to enhance their skills in innovative classes that include: College Essay Workshop, Research Writing Workshop, Drama, Music Video Production, and Fine Arts courses in Surface Design and Mixed Media. We also hold basketball and volleyball clinics suitable for beginning to advanced players. All high school students are welcome to attend. Summer session runs from June 22 to July 23, 2015. www.mid-pen.com 650.321.1991
One Me
Palo Alto Westin Hotel
Students aged 12-16 will find direction and inspiration through introspection and self-awareness, discovering how they learn and are motivated, addressing and understanding habits, improving communication skills, understanding the brain, understanding personality and ego states, emotional regulation, and welcoming challenge. www.oneyou.education 408.839.6965
Professional Tutoring Services of Silicon Valley
Los Altos
Academic camps offering Algebra I & II, Geometry, and Spanish I, II, III in small groups. Four sessions starting June 15 through July 27. Sign up for all four or just one. Perfect for high school and junior high students taking high school level courses. $250 and up. Register online. www.ptstutor.com/summer-camps.html 650.948.5137
Purposeful You
Palo Alto Westin Hotel
Students aged 12-16 will learn best practices in organization and goal setting; study techniques; communication with administration and teachers; strengthening memory; answering to the question; outlining, writing, and citing resources; emotional regulation; stress and test anxiety management, attention and motivation. www.oneyou.education 408.839.6965
Summer at Saint Francis
Mountain View
Summer at Saint Francis provides a broad range of academic and athletic programs for elementary through high school students. It is the goal of every program to make summer vacation enriching and enjoyable! www.sfhs.com/summer 650.968.1213 x446
Write Now! Summer Writing Camps
Palo Alto / Pleasanton
Improve your student’s writing skills this summer at Emerson School of Palo Alto and Hacienda School of Pleasanton. Courses this year are Expository Writing, Creative Writing, and Presentation Techniques. Visit our website for more information. www.headsup.org Emerson: 650.424.1267 Hacienda: 925.485.5750
Weekend MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE
Q RESTAURANT REVIEW Q MOVIE TIMES Q BEST BETS FOR ENTERTAINMENT
Star of the valley
REVIEW BY SHEILA HIMMEL PHOTOS BY VERONICA WEBER
BAUMÉ: A MICHELIN-STARRED INDULGENCE, BUT WELL WORTH THE VISIT
A sweet amuse-bouche includes, from left, a celery sorbet dipped in cassis gelee, pear pate de fruit and lemon sponge sandwiched by Thai basil leaves with fleur de sel.
Q R E S TA U R A N T R E V I E W
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hat’ll it be, dear, fine caviar at Baumé restaurant or the 50-yard line at Levi’s Stadium? These days in Silicon Valley, the Tesla crowd could do both,
and then cruise up to The French Laundry for lunch the next day. Maybe they do. Dinner at the Peninsula’s only Michelin two-star restaurant runs about the same for two people as really good seats at a 49ers game: $1,000. $1K in our fair valley. Did we need more evidence of the rich run amok? A friend was outraged at my Baumé bill: “That could feed 1,000 people!” Continued on next page May 1, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
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Weekend Continued from previous page
Before getting into what’s worth what, let’s get the pronunciation right. Since Baumé opened on Palo Alto’s California Avenue in January 2010, I have been smarty-pants mispronouncing its name as “BoughMAY.” It is “Bow-MAY,” for Antoine Baumé, a French pharmacist who in the late 18th century invented a scale to measure the density of liquids. Chefowner Bruno Chemel respects this guy so much, he named his son Antoine. When Baumé opened, Chemel was more into molecular gastronomy than he is now. The Baumé gets less use. There have been other changes. The eight-course dinner (or 10, if you count two delightful amusebouches) is $268 per person. The wine pairing is — gulp — $210. Note that the tip is included in the price, à la Française. The food has become less molecular and more fun, showcasing but not showing off Chemel’s love of artful Japanese presentation. (He studied macrobiotic cooking in Japan.) The two-room restaurant at the corner of California Avenue and Park Boulevard has cut back from 28 seats to 18, with
Baume’s golden Osetra caviar with fennel and kiwi.
a maximum of four people per table (less chance of drunken IPO celebrations, perhaps). And, Baumé is open only four nights a week, with the last seating at 7:30 p.m. Lunch is served Friday and Saturday. All this adds up to a family life for Bruno and Christine Chemel. When you make a reservation, Christine will ask if you have
any allergies or aversions, and if a special occasion brings you to Baumé. When you arrive and peruse the menu — a list of 30 or so ingredients — the server will again ask if there’s anything you would rather not eat. Then the fun begins, starting with ice-free water served at the perfect temperature. Each course gets completely new
DINNER BY THE MOVIES AT SHORELINE’S
Cucina Venti AY D S ’ R E H OT !! HAPPY RMRESERVATION TODA4Y-1120 5 MAKE YOU VENTI.COM 650-2 TI INA VEN WWW.CUC LE.COM/CUCINAOPENTAB
silverware, as functional as it is fun to look at. Ingredients are not just tiny pretty faces doing their own thing. They play with each other in surprising combinations of tastes, textures and temperatures. After two or three bites, you get it and are satisfied. The opening amuse-bouche lived up to its name, with a disc of cold lemon puree between two
dime-size leaves of Thai basil, like a doll’s house ice cream sandwich. We were instructed to start with that and end with a frozen lollipop involving cocoa nibs, radish and celery. Courses built in sensible succession, starting with an ambrosial bit of Brittany blue lobster in carrot mousse, set off with uni, shards of shredded ginger and halves of fava bean. Each wine, mainly from small French producers, got a little introduction. Next up, Bordeaux Sauternes with the caviar course. Seriously? The ultimate sweet wine with the ultimate salty food? But yes, it worked. Great balls of golden Osetra caviar rested on lemon sunchoke puree, with a brown rice tuile providing crunch. A warm, custard-soft Jidori egg yolk sabayon came in a dish resembling an oversized eggcup. (Jidori chickens are the Kobe beef of poultry.) The egg whites became smoked meringues, sprinkled on top. Digging further, the diner came across bits of polenta and kale. The vegetable course featured Hollister green asparagus, crispy shreds of yellow beets and shiso fennel paper (very thin, like nori) that adhered to the asparagus.
*Four course dinner Served with Complimentary glass of Proseco Champagne $59 per person
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day Menu — May 10th
Appetizers Bruschetta Al Pomodoro Toasted slices of oven baked bread topped with Roma tomato cubes marinated with olive oil, garlic and fresh basil. Crispy Zucchini Cakes Served with marinated cucumber & mint yogurt.
Salad Summer in Sorrento Watermelon topped with Feta cheese squares, arugula, fresh figs, Sicilian olives with Vidalia onion dressing. Strawberry Fields Crisp mixed lettuce, fresh strawberries, toasted pecans, and gorgonzola cheese served with our tangy Vidalia onion dressing.
Entrees Filet Mignon Marinated with herbs and served in a mushroom sauce with spinach. Served with broccoli and a risotto cake filled with blue cheese. Braised Short Ribs in a light red wine sauce Served with polenta and seasonal fresh cut vegetables. Linguine Pescatore Fresh salmon, snapper, clams, mussels and prawns in a spicy tomato sauce. Heart Shape Ravioli A portobello& shitake mushroom filling with Roma tomatoes and fresh spinach in a light Marsala cream sauce. Grilled Salmon Served with sautéed spinach, wild rice and vegetables.
Dessert
1390 Pear Ave., Mountain View (650) 254-1120 www.cucinaventi.com
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Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015
Tiramisu Italian dessert, consisting of alternating layers of coffee-soaked lady fingers and sweet mixture of mascarpone cheese, eggs and sugar. Linzar Hearts Cookies & Gelato Old fashioned ground nut dough cut into hearts and sandwiched with raspberry jam served with your choice of vanilla or chocolate gelato.
Weekend Happy Hour
2014
4pm-9pm Sun-Thurs
ÂŒ +TIZSMÂź[ *]ZOMZ[ ̆ WĐ„ ÂŒ .ZMVKP .ZQM[ ̆ WĐ„ ÂŒ WĐ„ IVa LQVVMZ • Kids 12 & under - buy 1 get 1 free* *item from kids menu of equal or lesser value
70 th year ANNIVERSARY!
Clarkes.com
Open 7 days Lunch & Dinner 11am-9pm; Fri ’til 10pm Breakfast on Weekends 8am-2pm
Mountain View • 61 615 W. El Camino Real • (650) 967-0851
Mother
[muhth-er] -noun 1. One person who does the work of thirty. For free. (See also, ‘saint’)
You owe Her big.
A green tea chocolate “jardin� is composed of green tea sponge cake atop a bavarois, served with strawberry-lime sorbet.
Mild French turbot from the island of Noirmoutier was the canvas for pickled zucchini cubes and cardamom-licorice fumet (concentrated stock) — and a 2011 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. All this led up to the meat course: a caramelized California squab breast cut into five succulent pieces accompanied by dried cherries, halves of English peas, juniper jam, a wild onion and a 2000 Chateau Montrose Grand Cru merlot. Get a load of this cheese course: warm whipped goat cheese with parsley-root mousse, pink peppercorns and grapes (cut in half, of course). No rickety cheese carts at BaumÊ. After all this, desserts were so-so: a melangÊ of green tea sponge cake, chocolate mousse and strawberries. But the final amuse-bouche reprised the opening theme of red lollipops and tiny sandwiches, this time featuring mint leaf and lemon cake. Chemel also is a candy-maker. His parting gift was a Japanesetype beribboned box with three flavors of caramel candies and a couple of tubes (!) of hazelnut chocolate ganache. We left happy. It was a special occasion, a major indulgence and a chance to appreci-
ate exquisite craftsmanship; Chemel honed his skills at starstudded restaurants in France, New York, Tokyo and San Francisco before heading the kitchen at Mountain View’s Michelinstarred Chez TJ. I totally understand that some people would rather be at a football game. The night we were there, one of the titans of Silicon Valley held court in the smaller room. In our room were three couples and a solitary diner. One couple was celebrating a birthday. We were celebrating our anniversary. The solitary diner worked her laptop, cellphone and earbuds while appearing to enjoy her 10 courses and a $35 apĂŠritif. A maestro of multi-tasking, she didn’t bother anyone, unlike Couple No. 3, whose female half not only answered her cellphone but then proceeded to talk as if in a cave by herself, loudly: “Did you meet May Butler? Did you like her? And you had a nice time with Amy? James was in Mexico ...â€? Meanwhile, her companion busied himself by texting on his phone, ignoring glares from the other tables. When it became clear that Christine wasn’t going to act, I held back my furious husband and went over to tell Mrs. Loud that the rest of us could hear her
every word. She did not apologize, but did end the call. Maybe she’s somebody famous. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Silicon Valley surprises you. V
Q DININGNOTES
Celebrate Mother’s Day and treat Mom to a day she won’t forget. Enjoy Sunday Brunch, we’ll have a complimentary Mimosa or Glass of Sparkling Wine included. Make your reservation today!
BaumĂŠ 201 S. California Ave., Palo Alto 650-328-8899 baumerestaurant.com Hours: Dinner 5:30-7:30 p.m. (last seating), WednesdaySaturday; Lunch 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. (last seating), Friday-Saturday. Credit Cards Catering Takeout Outdoor dining Party and banquet facilities
6811<9$/( 1 0$7+,/'$ $9( ::: )$=5(67$85$176 &20
Reservations Parking street and parking lots Alcohol wine Children highly unlikely Noise Level low
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Weekend Q MOVIEOPENINGS
Q MOVIETIMES Age of Adaline (PG-13) Century 16: 10:40 a.m., 1:40, 4:45, 7:30 & 10:25 p.m. Century 20: 11:05 a.m., 1:50, 4:35, 7:25 & 10:10 p.m. Avengers: Age of Ultron (PG-13) +++ Century 16: 9:15 a.m., 12:15, 1, 4, 4:45, 7:45, 8:30 & 9:15 p.m., Fri & Sat 12:01 a.m. In 3-D at 10, 10:45 & 11:30 a.m., 1:45, 2:30, 5:30, 6:15, 7, 10 & 10:45 p.m., Fri & Sat 11:30 p.m., Sat & Sun 3:15 p.m. Century 20: 10 & 11:30 a.m., 1:30, 3, 4:30, 5, 6:30, 8, 8:30, 9:30 & 10 p.m. In 3-D at 10:30 & 11 a.m., 12:30, 1, 2, 2:30, 4, 5:30, 6, 7:30 & 9 p.m., Fri & Sat 11 p.m., Sun 10:45 p.m. In X-D 3-D at noon, 3:30, 7 & 10:30 p.m. In D-BOX at 9:30 p.m. In 3-D D-BOX at 11 a.m., 12:30, 2:30, 4, 6 & 7:30 p.m., Fri & Sat 11 p.m., Sun 10:45 p.m. Big Trouble in Little China (1986) (PG-13) Century 16: Sun 2 p.m. Century 20: Sun 2 p.m. Cinderella (PG) ++1/2 Century 16: 9:20 a.m., 12:05 & 2:50 p.m. Century 20: 10:05 a.m., 12:55 & 3:45 p.m. COURTESY OF MARVEL
The big cast of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” include Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Chris Hemsworth.
Some assembly required ‘AVENGERS’ GET THE BAND BACK TOGETHER IN ‘AGE OF ULTRON’ 000 (Century 16, Century 20) In the 1935 horror sequel, “Bride of Frankenstein,” one mad scientist toasts another: “To a new world of gods and monsters!” In the 2015 superhero sequel, “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the gods and monsters wage war as the rest of us, puny humans, run scared. “I don’t want to hear the ‘man was not meant to meddle’ medley,” snarks Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a.k.a. Iron Man. What he does want is “peace in our time,” and he thinks he knows just how to achieve it: by cracking next-level artificial intelligence and imbuing his Iron Legion of peacekeeping robots with a benign mind that will happily put the Avengers out of the world-saving business. But Stark’s mad science — whipped up in tandem with Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), a.k.a the Hulk — goes awry with lightning-quick speed: The resulting intelligence Ultron (James Spader) has its own destructive notions of what it means to save the planet and eliminate the need for Avengers. That’s the core conflict of the densely plotted “Age of Ultron,” writer-director Joss Whedon’s follow-up to 2012’s megahit Marvel Comics superhero team-up “The Avengers.” Along with Stark and Banner, the sequel reunites Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor
(Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), as well as a gaggle of other Marvel Cinematic Universe characters. Orphan-twin newbies Quicksilver (Aaron TaylorJohnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) add to the intrigue, and this time actor Paul Bettany graduates from voice-over talent (supercomputer J.A.R.V.I.S.) to a visible role with a “Watchmen”-esque flair. Though the film’s astonishing breadth precludes any great depth, Whedon does a heckuva juggling act. In part, that means winningly cramming in questions about the superheroindustrial complex and the responsibilities therein at a time when humanity is thinking seriously about the disgusting collateral damage of modern warfare and extinction-level threats to our existence. Scarlet Witch puts it to Stark: “Ultron can’t tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it. Where do you think he got that from?” “Age of Ultron” marginally improves on its predecessor through acts of sheer wit and will on the part of Whedon. Demonstrably more confident this time out, Whedon works miracles by intelligently telling the story he wants to tell while remaining beholden to
corporate oversight demanding that he shoehorn in characters and pave off-ramps leading to the next set of Marvel movies. This $280 million film unmistakably poses incredibly challenging logistics, and Whedon tames the beast into something spectacularly epic, if a bit exhausting: bursting with destructive mayhem but grounded by interesting character beats, rife with dark implications but seasoned with good humor (ever wonder what an Avengers cocktail party is like?). Better than any filmmaker yet, Whedon understands comic-book storytelling, with its pop-operatic grandeur and colorful characters, and the Comic-Con crowd has never been better served (Christopher Nolan’s Batman films were superior “crossover” successes, but “Age of Ultron” is pure, uncut comic-book fantasy). If you’re allergic to comic-book mythologies, this one won’t change your mind, but you don’t need to know your Mind Stone from your Space Stone to appreciate this action extravaganza leavened by jokes and unlikely romance. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments. Two hours, 21 minutes. — Peter Canavese
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Ex Machina (R) Century 16: 11:20 a.m., 2:10, 5, 6:15, 7:40, 9:05 & 10:25 p.m. Century 20: 10:40 a.m., 1:25, 4:15 & 10:15 p.m., Fri 7:35 p.m., Sat & Sun 7:15 p.m. Felix and Meira (R) Palo Alto Square: 1:15, 4:15 & 7:15 p.m., Fri & Sat 9:50 p.m. Furious 7 (PG-13) Century 16: 9:10 a.m., 12:20, 3:40, 7 & 10:15 p.m. Century 20: 12:45, 4:05, 7:10, 9:05 & 10:25 p.m., Sat & Sun 5:50 p.m. Get Hard (R)
Century 20: 6:35 & 9:15 p.m.
Home (PG) ++ Century 16: 9:25 & 11:50 a.m., 2:15, 4:40, 7:05 & 9:30 p.m. Century 20: 10:55 a.m., 1:35, 4:10, 6:45 & 9:10 p.m. Insurgent (PG-13) Century 20: Fri & Sat 7:10 p.m., Fri 1:20 p.m., Sat 1:15 p.m., Sun 7:15 p.m. Little Boy (PG-13) Century 20: 11:10 a.m., 1:45, 4:25, 7:05 & 9:45 p.m. The Longest Ride (PG-13) + Century 20: 10:05 p.m., Fri & Sat 4:10 p.m., Sat & Sun 10:15 a.m., Sun 4:20 p.m. Monkey Kingdom (G) ++1/2 Century 16: 10:20 a.m., 12:45, 3, 5:15, 7:35 & 9:50 p.m. Century 20: 10:10 a.m., 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:20 & 9:35 p.m. National Theatre: The Hard Problem (Not Rated) Guild Theatre: Sun 11 a.m. Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (PG) Century 16: 10:15 a.m., 12:40, 3:05, 5:30, 7:55 & 10:25 p.m. Century 20: 10:25 a.m., 12:05, 2:35, 5:05, 7:30 & 10:10 p.m., Sat & Sun 12:50 & 3:20 p.m. The Philadelphia Story (1940) (Not Rated) Stanford Theatre: 7:30 p.m., Sat & Sun 4 p.m. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1957) (R) Guild Theatre: Sat at midnight Thirty Day Princess (1934) (Not Rated) Stanford Theatre: 6:05 & 9:35 p.m. Unfriended (R) Century 16: 10:20 a.m., 5:35, 8 & 10:30 p.m., Sat & Sun 12:45 & 3:10 p.m. Century 20: 10:45 a.m. & 1 p.m., Fri 3:10 & 5:20 p.m., Sat & Sun 3:20, 5:40, 8:05 & 10:25 p.m. The Water Diviner (R) Century 16: 11 a.m., 1:45, 4:30, 7:15 & 10 p.m. Century 20: 11:15 a.m., 2, 4:45, 7:35 & 10:30 p.m. While We’re Young (R) +++ Guild Theatre: 12:15, 2:30, 4:45, 7:15 & 9:30 p.m. Wild Tales (R) +++1/2 Palo Alto Square: 1, 4 & 7 p.m., Fri & Sat 9:55 p.m. Woman in Gold (PG-13) ++1/2 Century 16: 9:10 & 11:55 a.m., 2:35, 5:15, 7:55 & 10:35 p.m. Century 20: 11:25 a.m., 2:10, 4:50, 7:45 & 10:25 p.m. AQUARIUS: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (266-9260) CENTURY CINEMA 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View (800-326-3264) CENTURY 20 DOWNTOWN: 825 Middlefield Road, Redwood City (800-326-3264) CINEARTS AT PALO ALTO SQUARE: 3000 El Camino Real, Palo Alto (493-3456) STANFORD THEATRE: 221 University Ave., Palo Alto (324-3700) For show times, plot synopses and more information about any films playing at the Aquarius, visit www.LandmarkTheatres.com 0 Skip it 00 Some redeeming qualities 000 A good bet 0000 Outstanding
For show times, plot synopses, trailers and more movie info, visit www.mv-voice.com and click on movies.
M O U N TA I N V I E W V O I C E
Q HIGHLIGHT A LA CARTE & ART This annual festival will offer live music, a juried show with 225 artists, a classic car show, a farmers’ market and a children’s area. There will also be home and garden and health and wellness displays, as well as food and drink including microbrews, wine and sangria. May 2 and 3, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Downtown Mountain View, Castro Street, Mountain View. Call 415-999-2428. www.miramarevents.com/alacarte
ART GALLERIES ‘Barnyard Friends’ Viewpoints Gallery will showcase a new group of oil paintings by Julia Munger Seelos called “Barnyard Friends.” On May 1, from 5 to 8 p.m., a reception will be held. April 28-May 30, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday only until 3 p.m. Free. Viewpoints Gallery, 315 State St., Los Altos. www.viewpointsgallery.com/calendar.html ‘Cuban Icons, Cuban Lives’ Gallery 9 will offer an exhibit of photographs by Bill Scull called “Cuban Icons, Cuban Lives,” which captures the rich daily lives of Cubans and their compassion, resilience, pride and style. April 28-May 30, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon4 p.m. Free. Gallery 9 Los Altos, 143 Main St., Los Altos. www.gallery9losaltos.com/index.html
BENEFITS/FUNDRAISERS Relay for Life During this community event sponsored by the American Cancer Society, teams will raise funds for cancer survivor support and cancer research while walking, enjoying food and entertainment, and camping out. Registration is requested. May 2 and 3, 1 p.m.-9 a.m. Free. Cuesta Park, 615 Cuesta Drive, Mountain View. Call 408-688-0088. main.acsevents.org/site/ TR/RelayForLife/RFLCY15CA?pg=entry&fr_ id=68469
CLASSES/WORKSHOPS BikeCraft workshop This Mountain View Public Library event will lead participants in making jewelry and other crafts out of old bike parts. Space is limited; registration is required. May 5, 7-8 p.m. Free. Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. Call 650-903-6877. www.mountainview.gov/library Drop-in Bike Clinic Once monthly, professional bike mechanic Ryan Murphy will visit the Mountain View Public Library to share advice and help with changing tires, adjusting shifting and brakes, identifying mysterious noises and more. Third Saturday of the month, April 18-Aug. 15, 11-12:30 p.m. Free. Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. Call 650526-7020. www.mountainview.gov/library Foothill College summer registration This summer Foothill College will offer two sixweek summer sessions from June 8 to July 18 and June 29 to Aug. 9, each featuring online and on-campus general education courses. Registration will run from May 7 to June 7. Visit the website for more information. May 7-June 7. $31 per unit. Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. Call 650-949-7325. www. foothill.edu/reg/summer15.php Health care programs orientation The Mountain View-Los Altos Adult School will hold a workshop for those interested in health care careers, providing information on the Certified Nursing Assistant and Medical Assistant paths and the programs offered by the school. Online registration is requested. May 8, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Mountain View-Los Altos Adult School, 333 Moffett Blvd., Mountain View. Call 650-9401333. www.mvlaae.net Learn Bridge in a Day! Bridge Centers #503 and #507, two local American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) affiliates, will hold a Learn Bridge in A Day! event, a five-hour course for newcomers and returning players to the card game. May 9, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. $25; $20 with a friend; $10 youth age 25 and under. Palo Alto Bridge Center, 432 Stierlin Road, Mountain View. Call 650-4004646. paloaltobridge.com May Final Cut Pro X workshop The Midpeninsula Community Media Center will offer an 8-hour course on using Final Cut Pro X, taught by a professional with years of video editing and teaching experience. Hardware, software, handouts and raw footage will be provided. Thursdays, May 7 and 14, 6-10 p.m. $100. Midpeninsula Community Media Center, 900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto. Call 650-494-8686. midpenmedia.org/event/final-cut-pro-x-may-7-14/
May Zoom In video production workshop Midpeninsula Community Media Center will hold a five-day, 15-hour workshop on the basics of video production, covering all the skills needed to produce and edit a digital video while collaborating with others. Students will produce a short video by the end of the workshop. May 4, 6, 8, 18 and 20, 6:30-9:30 p.m. $175. Midpeninsula Community Media Center, 900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto. Call 650-494-8686. midpenmedia.org/workshops/ Simple Sewing: Bike tube wallet At this Simple Sewing event, community members can sew a wallet out of an inner tube and create earrings — two easy projects for sewing beginners. Space is limited; registration is required. May 4, 7-8 p.m. Free. Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. Call 650-903-6877. www.mountainview.gov/ library
CLUBS/MEETINGS ESL Conversation Club in Los Altos The Los Altos Library will host a weekly ESL Conversation Club, where those new to speaking English can practice their conversational skills. Basic English speaking abilities are needed; no registration is required. The library is also looking for volunteer facilitators for the club. Thursdays, March 12-June 4, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. Call 650-948-7683, ext. 3516. www.sccl.org/ Services/ESL-Resources ESL Conversation Club in Mountain View This weekly club at the Mountain View Public Library provides a place to practice English conversation skills with friendly company. All levels are welcome; no registration is required. Wednesdays, April 1-July 1, 5-6 p.m. Free. Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. Call 650-526-7020. www. mountainview.gov/library Language Swap This weekly Mountain View Public Library event will allow community members to both practice speaking a different language and teach a language to others. All levels and drop-ins are welcome. Thursdays, April 2-July 30, 7-8 p.m. Free. Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. Call 650526-7020. www.mountainview.gov/library
COMMUNITY EVENTS Concert on the Plaza: Trio Sol de Mexico For this City of Mountain View event, community members are invited to the Civic Center Plaza to enjoy food trucks, a “Pop Up Park” area for children, beer and wine, and live music by Trio Sol de Mexico. May 1, 6-7:30 p.m. Free admission. Civic Center Plaza, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. Call 650-903-6331. www. mountainview.gov/plazaevents Elected officials meet and greet The League of Women Voters Los Altos-Mountain View will host an informal reception where community members can meet public officials, thank them for their service, ask questions and make comments or suggestions. May 3, 2-4 p.m. Free. Los Altos Youth Center, 1 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. Call 650-776-1184. www. lwvlamv.org May Day March & Rally for Immigration Reform To bring attention to the large number of immigrants living in Silicon Valley and the need for comprehensive and humane immigration reform, community members will walk from Rengstorff Park to St. Joseph’s Church, where a peaceful rally will be held. All are invited. May 1, 5-8:30 p.m. Free. Rengstorff Park, 201 Rengstorff Ave., Mountain View. Call 650-861-1450 (bilingual). Randall Jarrell Adult Storytime The Mountain View Public Library will hold its next adult story-time event, where a librarian will read stories by Randall Jarrell — an American poet, literary critic, children’s author, essayist and novelist — as well as stories he loved. RSVP is optional. May 6, 7-8 p.m. Free. Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View.
Call 650-903-6877. www.mountainview.gov/ library Reed Magazine Launch Party Books Inc. will host a launch party with the production team and contributors to Reed Magazine, the oldest literary journal west of the Mississippi, to mark the release of its 68th issue. May 13, 7-9 p.m. Free. Books Inc., 301 Castro St., Mountain View. www. booksinc.net Sew Sew Saturday The Mountain View Public Library invites community members to come by on Saturday mornings to use its four Baby Lock (Grace model) sewing machines and one serger. Appointments are required. Saturdays, April 4-July 4, 10:15 a.m.-noon. Free. Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. Call 650-526-7020. www.mountainview. gov/library Spring MVHA Event: A Speakeasy Afternoon The Mountain View Historical Society will hold its Membership Meeting Spring Event at the historic Wunderman House, which used to be called the Blue & Gold Kennel Club, a front for illicit activities. The free, public event will offer wild Mountain View history, tours and music. Reservations are required. May 3, 1-3 p.m. Free. Wunderman House, 655 Eunice Ave., Mountain View. Call 650-903-6890. www. mountainviewhistorical.org St. Timothy’s rummage and jewelry sale St. Timothy’s Preschool will hold a rummage and jewelry sale in conjunction with Mountain View’s annual citywide rummage sale. May 2, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 2094 Grant Road, Mountain View. Call 650-9674724. www.sttims.org Women’s Healing Conference At the fifth annual Women’s Healing Conference, a community of women healers, educators, farmers ceremonialists, artists, musicians and dancers will gather at Hidden Villa to share, explore, learn and rejuvenate while celebrating womanhood. May 9, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. $175. Hidden Villa, Dana Center, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos. womenshealingconference.com/
CONCERTS Avi Avital on mandolin For this Stanford Live Informance, the Community School of Music and Arts will host Grammy-nominated mandolinist Avi Avital, who will discuss his work and perform musical excerpts of his repertoire of Baroque, 20th-century and new music. May 4, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Community School of Music and Arts, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View. www. arts4all.org/attend/concerts.htm Mother’s Day Concert Merit Scholarship Student Ensembles from the Community School of Music and Arts will perform special selections to celebrate Mother’s Day. May 9, 2-3 p.m. Free. Community School of Music and Arts, Tateuchi Hall, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View. www.arts4all.org/attend/concerts.htm MVWSD Choralfest Student choirs from throughout the Mountain View-Whisman School District will perform in the 14th annual Choralfest, this year entitled “Music Makes Me Proud!” The event is co-sponsored by the Community School of Music and Arts, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View Educational Foundation and the Los Altos Mountain View PTA Council. May 4, 5-8 p.m. Free. Shoreline Amphitheatre, 1 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View. www. arts4all.org/choralfest
EXHIBITS ‘Into the Wild Woods’ The Community School of Music and Arts currently has on display an exhibition of illustrations and paintings by Bay Area native Liz Amini-Holmes. April 3-May 31, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. Community School of Music and Arts, Finn Center, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View. Call 650-917-6800. www. arts4all.org/attend/mohrgallery.htm ‘No Limits - Freedom to Create’ The Town of Los Altos Hills is now hosting “No Limits Freedom to Create,” a fine art exhibit showcasing
the work of the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. Monday-Friday, March 9-Aug. 28, 8 a.m.-noon, 1-5 p.m. Free. Town of Los Altos Hills, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills. Call 650941-7222. www.losaltoshills.ca.gov ‘Reflect + Create’ The Los Altos History Museum will offer a new exhibit called “Reflect + Create: Where Art and History Intersect,” looking at how artists, makers and creators from the community have taken inspiration from items in the museum’s collection. On May 10, from 2 to 4 p.m., there will be an opening reception. Thursday-Sunday, May 7-Sept. 30, noon-4 p.m. Free. Los Altos History Museum, 51 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. Call 650-948-9427, ext. 16. losaltoshistory.org
FAMILY AND KIDS Curious George Costume Party To celebrate Children’s Book Week, Books Inc. will hold a Curious George Costume Party where the inquisitive monkey will be on hand and children can participate in themed activities and giveaways. May 9, 2-4 p.m. Free. Books Inc., 301 Castro St., Mountain View. www.booksinc.net Storytime with Dev Petty As part of Children’s Book Week, local author Dev Petty will read from her debut picture book “I Don’t Want to Be a Frog,” a silly story about identity and accepting oneself. May 5, 4-5 p.m. Free. Books Inc., 301 Castro St., Mountain View. www. booksinc.net/event/storytime-dev-petty-booksinc-mountain-view Wingding Family Fest The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society will welcome community members to the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve to explore nature during its “Wingding Family Fest: A Celebration of Spring and All Things Winged!” May 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve, Skyline Boulevard, one mile south of the Alpine and Page Mill roads intersection, Los Altos Hills. Call 408-252-3740. www.scvas.org
HEALTH Cal MediConnect talk at May NHN community outreach event At one of Neighbors Helping Neighbors’ community outreach events, Shelly Grimaldi of Covered California and Harbage Consulting will give a talk discussing Cal MediConnect, which offers a single managed care plan for Santa Clara County residents eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal. May 9, noon-2 p.m. Free. Middlefield Meadows Club House, 114 Flynn Ave., Mountain View. Call 650-283-0270. www.facebook.com/ NeighborsHelpingNeighborsPaloAlto Danceation fitness classes European pop star Heath Hunter and international fitness guru Kirsten Johnson teach regular high-energy dance and fitness workouts for all skill levels. March 16-June 17, Monday, 11:30 a.m.; Tuesday, 6 p.m.; Wednesday, 9, 10 and 11 a.m. $20 single class; $150 10-class pass. American Legion, 347 1st St., Los Altos. www.danceation.com Free YMCA fitness course This weekly course led by YMCA instructors, called Healthy Happens Here, leads participants in beginner-level strength training to develop balance, flexibility, posture, coordination and fall prevention. Classes are appropriate for all levels and backgrounds. Registration is required. Wednesdays, May 6-July 29, noon-1 p.m. Free. Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. Call 650526-7020. www.mountainview.gov/library Jacki’s Aerobic Dancing Jacki’s Aerobic Dancing classes guide participants in abdominal work, strength training and aerobic routines. Complimentary childcare is provided by staff. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, March 9-Dec. 18, 9 a.m. $36 month; $6 single class. Mountain View Masonic Lodge, 890 Church St., Mountain View. joanier@pacbell.net
ON STAGE ‘Birds of a Feather’ The Pear Avenue Theatre will stage “Birds of a Feather,” the
third installment of a stage noir trilogy by Paul Braverman that follows the irascible detective Frankie Payne. May 1-24, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. See website for ticket pricing. The Pear Avenue Theatre, 1220 Pear Ave., Unit K, Mountain View. www.thepear.org ‘The Addams Family’ For its next production, the Palo Alto Players will perform “The Addams Family,” a musical by Andrew Lippa about a ghoulish American family. April 24-May 10, Thursday, 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. $34-$48. Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Call 650-3290891. www.paplayers.org ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ The Los Altos Stage Company will perform the classic drama “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” the story of George and Martha, a dysfunctional couple that draws two house guests into their conflict after a faculty party. April 9-May 3, Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. $34. Bus Barn Theater, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. Call 650-941-0551. losaltosstage.org/ virginia-woolf/
RELIGION/SPIRITUALITY Insight Meditation South Bay Shaila Catherine and guest teachers will lead weekly Insight Meditation sittings, which are accompanied by talks on Buddhist teachings. Tuesdays, Jan. 6-Dec. 29, 7:30-9 p.m. Donations accepted. St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Edwards Hall, 2094 Grant Road, Mountain View. Call 650-857-0904. www.imsb.org Kirtan and meditation sessions BookBuyers in Mountain View will host a session of meditation and Kirtan song each Saturday morning. All are welcome. Saturdays, March 7-May 2, 8:45-9:45 a.m. Free. BookBuyers, 317 Castro St., Mountain View. Call 650-968-7323. bookbuyers.com/event/kirtan-meditation-3/
LECTURES & TALKS ‘100 Years of Einstein’s Relativity’ As part of the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series, Dr. Jeffrey Bennett of the University of Colorado will give an illustrated, non-technical talk called “100 Years of Einstein’s Relativity (and How it Underlies our Modern Understanding of the Universe).” May 6, 7 p.m. Free; $3 parking. Foothill College, Smithwick Theater, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. www.foothill.edu/ast Author Sydney Padua on ‘The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage’ Sydney Padua will speak in conversation with Google Doodle leader Ryan Germick about her inspiration to share the story of two computer pioneers in her graphic novel “The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage.” Online registration is requested. May 5, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View. www.computerhistory. org/events SFMOMA talk: Jasper Johns This talk offered by SFMOMA will take a look at the connection between Jasper Johns and the San Francisco Bay Area, through images drawn from local private and public sources and the artist’s own collection from the 1950s to the present. May 4, 7-8 p.m. Free. Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. www.sccl.org
VOLUNTEERS Greeter and peer counselor recruitment Neighbors Helping Neighbors is recruiting new peer counselors and greeters to help with its programs and services during Community Outreach events held from April to June and September to November. The organization seeks working or retired professionals, as well those with no experience, who are emotionally stable. The time commitment is about two to four hours per month. Training will be provided. March-August. Free. Location varies, Palo Alto and Mountain View. Call 650-283-0270. www.facebook.com/ NeighborsHelpingNeighborsPaloAlto
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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q May 1, 2015